Not only does Bend[1], Ore., get a longer whitewater rafting season than we do here, but they also have some unbelievable mountain biking — more than 400 miles of trails, with a mind-boggling mix of super-smooth, tough technical, wavy-gravy and playground terrain, most of which takes you through spectacular forests, that will have serious singletrack fans just grinning with glee.

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A rider comes up over a bump along the Whoops Trail, part of the Phil's system near Bend, Ore.

One of the best rides was a five-minute drive — if you were feeling particularly zesty, you could just bike it — from the heart of downtown: Phil’s Trailhead is the gateway to about 40 miles’ worth of some of the most even, flat, unimpeded (am I conveying how ridiculously smooth this thing was?) trail I think I’ve ever experienced. Ever. It was just plain fun. And the best part came from a laugh-a-minute section called “Lower Whoops,” which requires a two-mile minor slog to the top followed by a payoff of hills, bumps, jumps (with mini-bailouts along the sides if you don’t want air) and other groovy features. Bet you can’t do it just once.

Another trail standout was a half-hour drive away in Sisters[3], Peterson Ridge, with its 25 miles of easy-moderate riding, with some rocky sections, roots and tight trees here and there, but mostly just stunning alpine and meadow singletrack. The views of Mount Jefferson at one high point can’t be beat.

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The Peterson Ridge Trail near Sisters, Ore. The snowy peak way in the back is Mount Jefferson.

After a few days of sweaty biking, a dip in the river is most definitely in order, and there are plenty to choose from within easy driving distance of Bend. In September and October, the water is getting cold but the air temps go up and down, so wetsuits are a good thing to have on hand. You can throw your own boat in if you drive over (we split up — one driving, one flying, mostly so we could take our own bikes), or catch a ride with High Country Expeditions[5], which has some of the nicest guides around and does a great job of oar-assisted paddling down the McKenzie, the Upper Klamath (Class I-IV+, depending on the section) and the North Umpqua (Class III-IV).

If you’ve never been on anything but desert rivers, the tree-lined banks of Oregon[8] are a nice change-up — to put it mildly. Log features (read: things that have randomly fallen in and can rip your raft to shreds) occasionally add a little extra interest to the rapids you’re trying to run, and particularly on the McKenzie, the designated Wild and Scenic portion, which means no development, the scenery of old-growth forest, with waterfalls and mountains in the background, is enough to make you want to do it two days in a row. So we did.

If you don’t take your own bike over, be sure to stop in at Pine Mountain Sports[9], which rents ‘em, fixes ‘em and just loves everything about ‘em. Truly one of the most service-oriented bike shops I’ve ever encountered. We liked it so much, we walked in with a derailleur problem and walked out with a new derailleur — attached to a brand-new, full-suspension bike. I wish owner Dan McGarigle could teach classes on customer service.

All of this activity will make you hungry, and Bend has no shortage of really good restaurants. A couple of favorites: the Pine Tavern Restaurant[10], worthy for its lounge that offers things like prime ribs bites in Yukon potato cups during happy hour and in general a delicious, well-executed menu of appealing items, and the casual, family-friendly Soba[11], where you order at the counter and then they deliver your healthy, generously portioned bowl of noodles and yummy meats in delectable sauces.

For about five minutes, we thought, “Hey, we could live here.” Then we looked at the prices of real estate. So now we’ll just have to content ourselves with periodic visits — because there are still a few hundred miles of singletrack left to try…